’Marli’ Basket by Stephen Blaess

The Alessi brand is synonymous with good design, working with the world’s greatest designers to transform everyday objects into iconic objects to lust after.

Stephen Blaess is one such designer.

The Australian-born designer works out of a small design studio in central London, leaving behind pieces of his work in permanent exhibitions in Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum and the Chicago Athenaeum.

Recently awarded the Good Design Award 2009 from the Chicago Athenaeum – the ‘Marli’ wire basket, manufactured by Alessi, joins the ranks as one of the Italian brand’s most desirable decorative objects.

Reminiscent of the classic 826 series of products developed by Alessi in the 1940s, the ‘Marli’ basket takes its name from an aboriginal word for ‘butterfly’, which it mirrors in its symmetry and its floating form.

Using computer bending, Blaess’ ‘Marli’ creates a fluid ornament from curved 3D stainless steel rods, which mould to act as a basket for displaying fruit.

The result is a visually lightweight product – a great design which has evolved from the flat sheet-formed ’Marli’ bowl series already in production.